The act of turning a blind eye to the blind, as the Blind Solidarity Movement (BSM) complained to the Registrar of Societies about the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), was put to rest at a meeting ROS held with an MAB officer today.

MAB’s secretary and chief executive officer Ganesan Suppayah met with the ROS officials this morning and answered 22 questions raised by the ROS in response to allegations and complaints filed by MAB members.

"I met the ROS officials and answered all the questions raised. I clarified that we did not reject a resolution by more than 200 blind members from the BSM.

"The MAB proved to the ROS that we had complied with all ROS requirements and the AGM was held in accordance with ROS regulations," Ganesan said.

At the AGM held on Nov 22 last year, MAB vice-president Hasidi Hassan ( left ) called for the resignation of the top MAB officials.

Hasidi's complaint and letter to the AGM called for the resignation of MAB president Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar, deputy president Veera Ramani, vice-president S Kulasegaran and Ganesan.

Concern over development of 100-acre plot

Hasidi said: “We are concerned about the development of a 100-acre property in Taman Harapan in Temerloh, Pahang, given to the MAB and the blind community's welfare and training development.

“The MAB must not turn a blind eye to our feelings and aspirations. They must call us and engage in the decision-making process as the organisation is meant for the welfare of the blind.”

As there was no satisfactory response to these matters at the AGM, about 150 blind people marched from KL Sentral to the MAB complex in Brickfields on March 18.

There, they demanded an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of MAB and the development of the 100-acre land in Temerloh that had been allocated to the blind community.

Hasidi also complained that staff of MAB, mostly blind, earned low wages and were denied bonuses and healthcare benefits, while some council members received large salaries.

On a complaint raised at the AGM about a plan to sell the Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Ganesan said this matter would be referred to the hospital management.

As for the development of the 100-acre land in Temerloh allocated to the blind community for the welfare and training of the blind in Malaysia, Ganesan said “MAB is working on this matter”.